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1. Get schools and educational hubs involved


As well as a place to grow our curiosity, our educational spaces can be home to playing fields, verges and gardens which are ready to burst with life each spring. If your school isn’t taking part already, consider having a chat with staff to see if a space can be left for nature this year. As well as being a bonus for wildlife, why not use this as a fun learning opportunity to discover how many species you can spot? 

2. Talk to your neighbours

You may not have your own lawn or green space, but your neighbour or community might! If the 23 million garden owners of the UK joined forces for nature, it could transform the fortunes for our wild plants and the much-loved species that depend on them.

Why not share our No Mow May resources with your neighbours and community? We have signs to display in gardens, notice boards and windows which are a fantastic conversation starter – it could even be the start of a No Mow May street! 

3. Connect with places of worship  


Often the cornerstone of our communities, our places of worship can be a sanctuary for people and wildlife alike. See if your local church, mosque or other place of worship has a green space they can pledge for nature this No Mow May. Churchyards for example, are often excellent places for wildflower and wildlife that enjoy the undisturbed grasslands.

4. Chat to your local councillor

Whether it’s parish, town or district council, reaching out to your local decision makers to promote wildlife-friendly management can make a big difference. Local support can really help to bring about change, whether that’s through a volunteer group or social media page. Check out our Good Meadows Guide for some convincing talking points or the Flowers on Roadside Verges Facebook group for some inspiration.

Our councils manage some of our most widely-used green spaces, no matter where you live. Ask your local councillor about your councils plans to provide a home for wildflowers and wildlife in May and beyond, and share their good work on social media. 

5. Create a mini meadow in a pot

If you have outdoor space but no lawn, don’t write off No Mow May just yet! Encourage wildlife to your garden with a pot or window box – what happens if you leave one with bare soil, perhaps local wild plants seed will find their way in. There are also native seed mixes you can sprinkle into pots which pollinators like bees and butterflies will go wild for! 

 

6. Start a community meadow

Creating a meadow is a really simple way to bring the local community together, whilst doing something positive for nature. So, what are community meadows? They are areas, predominantly of grassland, that are owned and managed by the community, such as parks, road verges, school grounds, village greens, church land or fields.

You don’t need to be an expert to start one – we’ve shared our tips for how to begin, what to plant, how to manage your green space year-round and how to engage the community.

Take a look at out guide

 

More meadow making tips

How to start a community meadow

How to start a community meadow

Want to start a community meadow, but not sure where to begin? Read our guide to creating a flower-filled haven for your local community.

How to grow a wildflower meadow
Wildflower meadow landscape with a variety of species near Cardiff, Wales

How to grow a wildflower meadow

Made up of wildflowers and grasses that return every year, wildflower meadows can bring benefits to people, climate and a huge array of wildlife.

Grazing to Save Wild Plants, From Eryri to our Garden Lawns
Wildflowers growing in a meadow with cattle behind

Grazing to Save Wild Plants, From Eryri to our Garden Lawns

What do the peaks of the Eryri mountains and our garden lawns have in common? Robbie Blackhall-Miles, Plantlife’s Vascular Plant expert, explains how grazing works to protect our most species-rich habitats.

Wildlife to Spot in Your No Mow May Lawn
A Cinnabar Moth rests on a long blade of lawn grass, image by Pip Gray

Wildlife to Spot in Your No Mow May Lawn

It’s not just wildflowers which benefit from not mowing our lawns this May. Pollinators and other wildlife bring our gardens to life!

Go Wild in the Garden with these Gardening Jobs
A blossoming garden lawn full of wildflower

Go Wild in the Garden with these Gardening Jobs

If you want to create a home for wildlife in your garden, here’s a couple of nature-friendly gardening jobs to inspire you. If you create the right space, nature will come.

No Lawn? No Problem: 5 Ways to Join in with No Mow May

No Lawn? No Problem: 5 Ways to Join in with No Mow May

As well as bringing back the bloom to our lawns, there are many ways you can get involved with No Mow May, even if you don’t have a garden.